Fishermen cite dangerous shoaling at Montauk Inlet 

Some of Long Island's largest commercial fishing boats have been prevented from using their home port of Montauk after dangerous shoaling at Montauk Inlet has caused many to hit bottom as they pass through the waterway. 

Montauk Inlet is one of many waterways around Long Island scheduled for dredging early this year, but fishermen said a yearlong problem of sand buildup has reduced the depth of the inlet to 8 or 9 feet. It's typically 12 to 14 feet for safe passage for some of Montauk's largest commercial fishing boats, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reportedly plans to increase the depth to 17 feet once the project is begun. 

Hank Lackner, who operates the largest commercial trawler out of Montauk, said he and four other Montauk boats have been holed up in Point Judith, Rhode Island, for the past several days over concerns about safe passage through Montauk Inlet. 

"We hit, we bounce and we drag," he said of his recent passages through the inlet, a dangerous scenario for captain and crew trying to navigate while loaded down with tons of fish and ice. "There's going to be an accident." 

His only option, he said, is to use the nearest fishing point in Rhode Island to land fish, buy ice and food for his crew — moves that could have economic consequences for New York's largest commercial fishing port at Montauk. His concern isn't just the immediate transfer of money to another state; landing fish in Rhode Island could ultimately result in New York getting lower quotas if more fish are landed in northern ports. 

"I don't have any other option than to take all my business out of state," he said. 

A spokesman for U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer's office said East Hampton Town officials and fishermen have raised the issue of the "critically shallow" inlet and have requested an emergency briefing on dredging solutions. "We are working to get to the bottom of this, quite literally," said Schumer spokesman Angelo Roefaro.

Schumer on Friday morning said his office has been on contact with the Army Corps of Engineers and Coast Guard and is "getting them on top of this (Montauk Inlet) issue right now."

James D’Ambrosio, a spokesman for the Army Corps, said the agency has been "hearing from fishermen that boats have been striking shoals traversing in and out of the inlet, primarily at low tide. We’ve heard there is a plan to dredge the inlet some time this year, but many are asking that the project be given emergency status given several recent incidents and apparent Coast Guard warnings to mariners."

The agency is "making an assessment" to determine "whether emergency funding can be utilized," he said.

The Corps' New York District is "planning to dredge Montauk Inlet to deepen the channel with an expected contract award in late 2025. Regulations protecting several species of endangered fish limit working at the inlet to the months of November and December," D’Ambrosio said.

At the U.S. Coast Guard Station Montauk, a representative who identified himself as Petty Officer Wilson acknowledged that the office has "received calls about that, and we've been calling our higher-ups." Some Coast Guard vessels, Wilson said, have to hug the west side of the inlet to avoid the shoals. Fishermen say the Coast Guard has issued warnings to mariners about the hazards of traversing the inlet at low tide. A spokesman for the Coast Guard didn't respond to calls and emails. 

Dave Aripotch, who operates another of the Montauk port's largest commercial trawlers, said navigating the inlet has been "worse lately with the northwest wind." He said he's had to time his fishing trips to avoid the inlet at low tide and has spent hours idling outside the harbor to wait for the proper depth.

"You can lose control of a boat," Aripotch said of the challenges of navigating the shallower inlet. Hugging the west side of the jetty to avoid the sand shoals "can get you in trouble" because of rocks beneath the jetty. "These boats are pretty hard to control in a wind as it is," he said of his 220-ton dragger. "This just makes it that much harder." 

Bonnie Brady, executive director of the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association, said she has reached out to Army Corps officials about the need for dredging the inlet but has yet to hear back. "It's completely unacceptable," she said of the lack of quick federal action. 

By Mark Harrington

mark.harrington@newsday.comMHarringtonNews

Mark Harrington, a Newsday reporter since 1999, covers energy, wineries, Indian affairs and fisheries.